Dupicating machine



April 20, 1926. 1,581,730

D. GESTETNER DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed 051;. 18, 1924 Patented Apr. 20,1926.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-DAVID GESTETNER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO I). GESTETNER,LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

insane nnrtrcarrne MACHINE.

Application filed October 18, 1924. Serial No. 744,380.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID Gns'rnrnnn, a

I subject of the King of Great Britain and is a specification.

This invention relates to duplicating machines, that is to say device bywhich reproductions of manuscript or typewritten matter, drawings andthe like are produced with the aid of stencils, and has for its objectto provide improvements therein.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved duplicatingmachineof the kind in which two stencil carriers are associated with meanswhereby stencils secured to each of said carriers are caused to operatesimultaneously and on opposite sides of a sheet of impression-receivingmaterial.

A duplicator in accordance with the invention comprises in addition toinking cylinders over which a stencil secured to an endless flQKlblGcarrier is caused to travel for producing a stencil impression on oneside of'a sheet of impression-receiving material an endless flexiblecarrier for a second stencil adapted simultaneously to produce astencilimpression on the reverse side of the said sheet, said second stencilcarrier being associated with inking cylinders in a similar manner tothe carrier for the first-mentioned stencil.

As when the machine is fed with individual sheets from a pile thereofduring the interval between the forming of stencil impressions on onesheet and the production of impressions on the succeeding sheet thepressure roller must be withdrawn from the adjacent inking cylinder inthe machines of vided with a flexi stencil.

ble carrier for a single Thus, for instance, the inking cylinderassociated'with the carrier for the stencil operating 011 the lowersurface of the sheet of impression-receiving material may be actuated bymeans similar to that employed for imparting similar motion to thepressure roller of existing machines to cause the said cylinder toapproach and recede from the adjacent inking cylinder associated withthe carrier for the stencil operating to produce a stencil impression onthe upper surface of the sheet of impression-receiving material. Thecylinder associated with the carrier for one of the stencils may bearranged in a frame with which an ink-distributing roller or waverroller is also associated, secured as by pivots to the main frame of themachine or the support therefor so that it may be rocked about itspivots to cause one of the inking cylinders to be brought toward andretracted from the adjacent inkin cylinder associated with the otherstencil carrier.

Alternatively, the frame carrying the inking cylinders with which one ofthe stencil carriers is associated may be arranged to be moved as awhole in any other way in order to move the inking cylinder co-operatingwith one stencil carrier'toward and away from the adjacent inkingcylinder of the other stencil carrier.

T o facilitate the desired motion of the inking cylinders in thedirection indicated springs, counterpoises or the like may be provided.

/V hen, on the other hand, the machine is designed for use in producingstencil impressions on a band or a continuous roll ofmaterial there isno need to arrange for the periodic motion of the lower pair of inkingcylinders or one of them toward and away from the lower inking cylinderof the upper pair; consequently the mechanism adapted to secure thisresult may be omitted from a machine intended for such use or may bearranged to be rendered inoperative.

In order that a machine in accordance with the invention may be employedwhen desired for producing a stencil impression on one side of'a sheetor band of impressionreceiving material a flexible member adapted to bearranged to travel over: the inking cylinders and constitute a cushionedsupport for the sheet of material may be employed.

Alternatively, means may be provided whereby the inking cylinderassociatedwi-th one of the stencil carriers may when-desired, bepermanently spaced apart from the adjacent inking cylinder associatedwith the other stencil and a pressure roller brought into position tooperate in conjunction with the last-mentioned cylinder.

One construction of a duplicator in accordance with the invention isillustrated in side elevation, partly in section, in the accompanyingdrawing, in which :-v

1v represents the frame of the machine, 2 and 2 the inking cylinders, 3the flexible band connecting these two cylinders over which one of thestencils associated with its flexible carrier travels. \Vith thesecylinders, as is usual, an inleclistiibuting roller 4 is associated.

The lower of the two inking cylinders is driven by a. pinion 5 from thespur wheel 6 mounted on the spindle 7 on which also a sprocket 8 ismounted. The chain 9 connects this sprocket with the sprocket 10 mountedon the spindle 11 on which also a spur wheel 12 and a cam 13 arevmounted. The spur wheel meshes with a second spur wheel 14 which is inengagement with the spur wheel 15. ing of the same diameter operate torotate the inking cylinders 16 and 16 with which flexible bands 17 andaflexible stencil carrier are associated in the usual manner, a waverroller 18 being also provided for distributing the ink over the surfaceof the inking cylinders. These two cylinders and their associated waverroller are mounted in bearings 19 and 19 in the frame 20 which isconnected to one arm of the bell-crank lever 21 which is mounted on thepivot 22 on'the main frame of the machine.

The other arm of this bell-crank lever is provided with a roller 23bearing upon, the cam referred to above, which operates periodically toraise the frame and "move the lower pair of inking cylinders, theflexible carrier and the waver roller associated therewith toward thelower member of the upper pair of inking cylinders at suitableintervals, namely when a sheet of paper is being fed between them, andto permit the lower pair of inking cylinders to be retracted when thefastening means of the upper stencil carrier passes below the lowermember of the upper pair of inking cylindersand the like device passesover the upper member of the lower pair of hiking cylinders. The feed ofthe paper is effected in the usual manner, the pile of paper beingrepresented by the reference 24 in the accompanying drawing, by means ofthe pusher mechanism 25 which isof known character and is driven throughthe intermediary of the toothed wheels'26 and 27 from the main drivingspindle of the machine.

As will be understood, with a device in accordance with the inventionthe adjacent These two spur wheels lee-- cylinders operating inconjunction with the two stencil carriers being simultaneously broughtto bear on the impression-receiving surface, each performs the functionof a pressure roller in relation to the other while the ink on thecylinders, the stencil carrier and stencil form cushioning or resilientcylinders, means for rotating the cylinders and thereby causing theflexible stencil carrier to travel over the surfaces thereof, a secondframe associated with the main frame of the machine, a plurality ofinking cylinders rotatably mounted in the second frame,- an endlessflexible stencil carrier associated with said plurality of cylinders,means for rotating the cylinders and means for moving periodically thesecond frame to bring one of the cylinders mounted therein toward one ofthe cylinders mounted in the main frame, whereby pressure may be exertedupon a sheet of material introduced between the stencil carriers.

2. A stencil duplicator for use in the reproduction of facsimiles oftypewritten, manuscript, printed matter, drawings and the like,comprising a main frame, inking cylinders rotatably mounted in saidframe, an endless flexible stencil carrier adapted to travel over saidinking cylinders, a movable frame, inking cylinders rotatably mounted inthe movable frame, a flexible stencil carrier adapted to travel over thecylinders in the movable frame and means adapted periodically to movethe movable frame to bring an inking cylinder mounted thereinintoposition against an inking cylinder mounted in themain frame toexert pressure upon a sheet of material fed between said cylinders andto move the frame in the reverse direction.

3. A stencil duplicator for use in the reing the flexible stencilcarrier to travel over the surface thereof, a secbnd frame secured,

to the main frame, a pair of inking cylin ders rotatably mounted in thesecond frame,-

flexible bands connecting the said cylinders, a flexible stencil carriersecured to the bands and means operating periodically to raise thesecond frame and move the pair of inking cylinders mounted therein andthe flexible carrier associated therewith towards the lower member ofthe pair of inking cylinders mounted in the main frame in order to causestencils secured to the stencil carriers to operate upon a sheet ofmaterial fed between them and means for pe riodically retracting themovable frame with its associated inking cylinders away from the inkingcylinders rotatably mounted in the main frame to permit the stencilfastening means of the stencil carrier associated with the cylinders inthe fixed frame and the stencil fastening means of the stencil carrierassociated with the inking cylinders in thevmovable frame to pass freelybetween the upper member of the pair of inking cylinders secured thereinand the lower member of the pair of cylinders rotatably mounted in thefixed frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

DAVID GESTETNER.

